Prediction of the Accuracy of Emergency Department Triage Using Selected Factors

Prediction of the Accuracy of Emergency Department Triage Using Selected Factors

Abstract:

Prediction of the Accuracy of Emergency Department Triage Using Selected Factors

Conference Sponsor:

Emergency Nurses Association

Conference Year:

1995

Author:

Guillot, Darlene

P.I. Institution Name:

University of Southwestern Louisiana

Contact Address:

411 E. St. Mary Blvd., Lafayette, LA, 70503, USA

Email:

res@ena.org

Purpose: Assignment to triage is often rotated among nursing staff with no thought given as to the educational background or experience of the triageur. Triage is a crucial position that is inherently fraught with risk because of high patient volumes, a stressful environment, and a litigious society. This study examined the influence of education, total nursing experience, emergency department (ED) experience, and completion of a formal triage educational program on the accuracy of triage using BennerÆs adaptation of the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition.

Design: A descriptive research design utilized an investigator-prepared instrument consisting of two parts: an "ED Nurse Questionnaire" and a "Triage Simulation Exercise" consisting of three clinical vignettes of patients presenting with abdominal pain.

Setting: The setting was six EDs in acute care hospitals in southern Louisiana which have 24-hour ED physician coverage and are classified as Level II trauma service facilities.

Sample: The sample was Registered Nurses (RNs) who function as triageurs in their hospital EDs. The convenience sample consisted of 94 nurses who were on duty at the time of data collection and who agreed to volunteer for the study. The majority of the sample (43.6%) held a baccalaureate degree, most (46.8%) had >5 years ED experience, and an even greater proportion had >5 years total nursing experience.

Methodology: The "ED Nurse Questionnaire" contained demographic questions as well as questions to determine basic nursing education, years of ED experience, years of total nursing experience, and completion of a formal triage educational program. The "Triage Simulation Exercise" asked respondents to classify three patients according to a three-tier system recommended in the ENA publication Triage. Chi-square was used to test for associations between "Triage Simulation Exercise" scores and experience, education, and completion of a triage program.

Results: There was a significant difference between total nursing experience and triage accuracy. Nurses with greater years ED experience had significantly higher scores on one of the exercises. There was no correlation between scores and educational level or completion of a triage program. The hospital with the highest mean scores had the most stringent experiential guidelines for its triage staff.

Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that experiential background should be a consideration in triage assignment. Further research studies utilizing a video exercise that would include non-verbal cues and verbal interaction should be conducted. ED triage is an important decision-making nursing function that is still being developed and refined. [Research Paper Presentation]

Full metadata record

Prediction of the Accuracy of Emergency Department Triage Using Selected Factors

en_GB

dc.identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/10755/162599

-

dc.description.abstract

<table><tr><td colspan="2" class="item-title">Prediction of the Accuracy of Emergency Department Triage Using Selected Factors</td></tr><tr class="item-sponsor"><td class="label">Conference Sponsor:</td><td class="value">Emergency Nurses Association</td></tr><tr class="item-year"><td class="label">Conference Year:</td><td class="value">1995</td></tr><tr class="item-author"><td class="label">Author:</td><td class="value">Guillot, Darlene</td></tr><tr class="item-institute"><td class="label">P.I. Institution Name:</td><td class="value">University of Southwestern Louisiana</td></tr><tr class="item-address"><td class="label">Contact Address:</td><td class="value">411 E. St. Mary Blvd., Lafayette, LA, 70503, USA</td></tr><tr class="item-email"><td class="label">Email:</td><td class="value">res@ena.org</td></tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="item-abstract">Purpose: Assignment to triage is often rotated among nursing staff with no thought given as to the educational background or experience of the triageur. Triage is a crucial position that is inherently fraught with risk because of high patient volumes, a stressful environment, and a litigious society. This study examined the influence of education, total nursing experience, emergency department (ED) experience, and completion of a formal triage educational program on the accuracy of triage using Benner&AElig;s adaptation of the Dreyfus Model of Skill Acquisition.<br/><br/>Design: A descriptive research design utilized an investigator-prepared instrument consisting of two parts: an &quot;ED Nurse Questionnaire&quot; and a &quot;Triage Simulation Exercise&quot; consisting of three clinical vignettes of patients presenting with abdominal pain.<br/><br/>Setting: The setting was six EDs in acute care hospitals in southern Louisiana which have 24-hour ED physician coverage and are classified as Level II trauma service facilities.<br/><br/>Sample: The sample was Registered Nurses (RNs) who function as triageurs in their hospital EDs. The convenience sample consisted of 94 nurses who were on duty at the time of data collection and who agreed to volunteer for the study. The majority of the sample (43.6%) held a baccalaureate degree, most (46.8%) had &gt;5 years ED experience, and an even greater proportion had &gt;5 years total nursing experience.<br/><br/>Methodology: The &quot;ED Nurse Questionnaire&quot; contained demographic questions as well as questions to determine basic nursing education, years of ED experience, years of total nursing experience, and completion of a formal triage educational program. The &quot;Triage Simulation Exercise&quot; asked respondents to classify three patients according to a three-tier system recommended in the ENA publication Triage. Chi-square was used to test for associations between &quot;Triage Simulation Exercise&quot; scores and experience, education, and completion of a triage program.<br/><br/>Results: There was a significant difference between total nursing experience and triage accuracy. Nurses with greater years ED experience had significantly higher scores on one of the exercises. There was no correlation between scores and educational level or completion of a triage program. The hospital with the highest mean scores had the most stringent experiential guidelines for its triage staff.<br/><br/>Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that experiential background should be a consideration in triage assignment. Further research studies utilizing a video exercise that would include non-verbal cues and verbal interaction should be conducted. ED triage is an important decision-making nursing function that is still being developed and refined. [Research Paper Presentation]</td></tr></table>

en_GB

dc.date.available

2011-10-27T10:30:54Z

-

dc.date.issued

2011-10-17

en_GB

dc.date.accessioned

2011-10-27T10:30:54Z

-

dc.description.sponsorship

Emergency Nurses Association

en_GB

All Items in this repository are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.